Railway-chair



(No Model.)

B. N. PAYNE.

RAILWAY GHAIR.

No. 485,298. Patented NQV. 1,-1892.

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JQQ J m UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BENJAMIN N. PAYNE, OF ELMIRA, NEYV YORK.

-RA| LWAY-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,298, dated November1, 1892.

Application filed October 3, 1891. Serial No. 407,608. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN N. PAYNE, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohemun g, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Chairs, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in railwa-chairs; and it has for its object, among others, to provide a chairwhich shall embody strength and durability with cheapness ofmanufacture, ease of application, and which shall be capable ofsufficient adjustments to meet all the necessary requirements. I formthe chair of two substantially-like parts connected byapivot,upon whichthey are movable in a manner similar toapairof tongs.Heretoforeachairhas been formed of two sections connected together by amortise and tenon. The parts or jaws are thus weakened. Provision is notmade for adjustment. The chair cannot be readily applied. The jaws arebrought directly opposite each other, which is obviously not sodesirable a construction as where the jaws are arranged to bear upon theflange of the rail otherwise than in the same plane. The aboveobjections are obviated by my construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features will be particularlypointed out in the claims.

The invention is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, which, withthe letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved chair. Fig. 2 is an end view of a slightly-modified form,showing in dotted lines a rail clamped therein.

Like letters refer to like parts where they occur.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A and Adesignate the two parts of the chair, which are pivotally connectedtogether by means of a pivot B. In the form shown in Fig. 1 these twoparts are halved together, as shown, each part having a rounded portion0t fitted to a correspondingly-shaped recess in the other. The upperends of the parts A A terminate in hooked jaws a, having the undercutrecesses a for the reception of the flange of the rail.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the parts A and A are pivoted by means of apivot B and are provided with hooked jaws a; but the two parts A A,instead of being halved out, as in the form shown in Fig. 1, arearranged side by side, so as to throw the jaws in different planes ingrasping the flange of the rail, instead of opposite each other,wherebyI attain a firmer and stronger grip upon the rail, and thebearings being at two different points there is less liability of therail being moved.

The pivotal connection between the parts permits of ready application orremoval of the chair, and also permits of ready adjustment toaccommodate it to varying widths of thicknesses of the flanges. It canbe manufactured at a minimum cost, is strong and durable, and r inpractice has proved most efficient for the purposes for which it isdesigned.

The characteristic features of my present invention are as follows:First, a longer arm below the pivot in each plate and a shorter port-ionabove the pivot; second, a hook restricted to the edge of the base andhaving no contact whatever with any portion above the base, and, third,a bearing on the bottom of the base at points between the web and thetermination of the upper end of the hook, whereby the bight of the hookat the edge and top and on the bottom of the base, together with theproportions of the plate above and below the pivot, gives such aleverage and grip as to relieve the pivot from any undue strain, so thatthe portion which heretofore has carried the entire load is relieved inthis regard and hassimply the function of keeping the plates side byside.

While the invention is not restricted to the plates being struck up bydies, still that is the preferable method of making them, and when thusmade they can be manufactured at a minimum expense. The plates may beformed with a strengthening web or rib.

What I claim isl. A railway-chair consisting of two similar platespivoted to each other side by side with a shorter portion above thepivot and a longer portion below the pivot and each plate terminating atits upper end in a hook constructed and arranged to embrace the edge ofthe base of a rail and terminating at a distance from tance from the weband having its under surthe web and its 'under surface :extended tofaceex-tended to form a-bearin'g on the botform a bearing on the bottomof the base of tom of the base of a rail at points between the a rail atpoints between the web and the end web and the end of the hook,substantially as I 5 5' of the hook above the base, substantially asdescribed.

described. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in 2. Arailway-chairconsisting of two similar presence ofi-twowitnesses. platespivoted to each other side by side and BENJAMIN N. PAYNE. eachterminating at its upper end in arhook' WVitnesses: 1o constructed andarranged to embrace the edge THEo. R. 000163 of the base of a rail andterminating at a dis- JOHN H. RIEGER.

